The Symbol of Glory: A Closer Look at the CFP National Championship Trophy

Ohio State didn’t even qualify for the Big Ten title game and likely would not have been included if the CFP field hadn’t expanded from four to 12 teams after the 2023 season. A loss to Northern Illinois might have also kept the Fighting Irish out of the CFP field. The title game matchup will not go down among historic college football playoff games.

None of that mattered, as Ohio State and Notre Dame each won three games to reach the title game, with the Buckeyes winning it all. When looking at our CFP guide, remember that Ohio State headed into the 2024 season ranked third in our countdown, with Notre Dame coming in at No. 11.

In the college football rankings, Ohio State was second and Notre Dame seventh in The Associated Press preseason poll.

Keep reading to learn more about the College Football Playoff trophy.

The CFP Trophy Has Quite The History

A Look At The Trophy

The College Football Playoff National Championship trophy is over 26 inches tall and weighs 50 pounds.

The CFP trophy, made of gold, bronze, and stainless steel, is awarded after the CFP title game.

Ohio State is the most recent team to hoist the trophy. The Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame 34-23 to win the national title. Ohio State had to win four games as the College Football Playoff field expanded from four to 12 teams.

Who Is Favored To Win the CFP Trophy?

Ohio State is the current favorite at +450 in the odds of winning the national title. The Buckeyes would join Georgia as the only teams to win back-to-back national titles during the College Football Playoff era. Will Ohio State players again get their hands on the national championship trophy?

Texas (+500) and Georgia (+550) are next in the odds of winning the title during the 2025 college football season, followed by Oregon.

National finalist Notre Dame comes in at No. 7 in the CFP odds.

If these odds prove accurate, Ohio State, Texas, Clemson, and Arizona State or Kansas State would be the top four seeds. They would be joined in the CFP field by Georgia, Oregon, Penn State, Alabama, Notre Dame, LSU, Tennessee, and Boise State.

How Many Teams in the 2024 CFP Field Previously Won The Title?

Ohio State won the inaugural College Football Playoffs after the 2014 season. Some familiar programs were involved in the field.

While Alabama barely missed qualifying for a chance to extend its record with a fourth CFP title, two-time champions Georgia and Clemson were in the field.

Although Michigan, the defending national champion, did not make it into the CFP, the Wolverines were the last team to defeat the Ohio State team that would win the national title.

Who Gets Into The College Football Playoffs?

Before the 2024 season, the College Football Playoff was a four-team affair, leaving some deserving teams out of the playoffs.

The Big Ten and the SEC always contended to have two teams in the CFP, leaving champions from the other power conferences fortunate to earn one of the four spots.

The move to 12 teams in the new CFP format is one step in the right direction. The winners of the five highest-ranked conferences earn spots in the 12-team College Football Playoffs, and the top four conference champions get a bye into the quarterfinals.

The Pac-12 being a victim of conference realignment leaves at least one of the champions from the Group of Five conferences getting into the CFP. Mountain West champion Boise State not only made the field in 2024 but also earned the No. 3 seed. The Broncos were spotted ahead of the champions from the Big 12 and the ACC.

The other seven spots in this bowl championship format go to at-large teams. At one point, it looked like eight of the 12 teams in the 2024 CFP would be from the Big Ten and the SEC. When SMU lost to Clemson in the ACC title game, the Mustangs and Tigers earned CFP spots, leaving Alabama out.